Spellbound (25 page)

Stavros’ shirt was easy enough to get off, but deciding what part of him to touch first was impossible. Elion’s palms slid up Stavros’ toned stomach and chest and he proudly watched the muscles contract under the pressure. Stavros’ head sank into the pillow and his eyes had fluttered shut by the time Elion reached his throat, Stavros’ rough stubble lightly scratched his skin and made it impossible not to imagine what it would feel against his entire body.

“You’re so beautiful,” Elion said honestly.

Stavros huffed and attempted to shove Elion’s hands away only to have their fingers laced together and lazily shoved above his head.

“Do you trust me?” Elion paused and studied Stavros’s eyes for reassurance when he nodded firmly.

Stavros tensed slightly when Elion straddled his waist and bent down to brush their lips together. Elion’s lips pressed to Stavros’ forehead for only a second before they were moving to his temple. The speed at which he was kissing Stavros was easy, but well planned, and by the time Elion had reached a spot just behind his ear, he was putty in Elion’s hands. It was exhilarating to feel so vulnerable, but
know
that he was safe, something that should have been terrifying in itself. Elion would occasionally pause, as if taking note of which places earned him the strongest gasps or pleasure filled shudders, before he would kiss them again, his tongue brushing or his teeth gently nipping to draw out every ounce of reaction that he could.

By the time his tongue was flicking across Stavros’ navel, Stavros was panting, his fingers knotted in the sheets after being slapped away countless times. Elion looked up through long, thick lashes and his amusement was enough to light up the room. He made quick work of Stavros’ jeans, shucking them aside like trash before a low, pleased hum vibrated between them. Stavros was painfully ready for something,
anything
, but Elion only winked and continued his task of marking every inch of him with soft kisses.

“Elion,” Stavros croaked, a hint of panic in his voice as Elion sucked a mark just inside his thigh. Elion instantly looked up, his amusement replaced with hesitation.

“Are you alright? Should I stop?”

Stavros shook his head firmly and audibly sighed when a soft hand snaked up his side and laced their fingers together once more. It was new and curious, if not slightly fear inducing, but it was good. It felt right; wanted, even. Elion’s free hand ran up his leg, the coarse hair against his fingers tickled in the wake, and it was odd, to find pleasure in such a simple motion.

Elion nudged Stavros’ thighs further apart, watching his face for any sign of hesitation or displeasure. Stavros wasn’t sure what he was agreeing to, but he found that he was willing to take whatever Elion would give. A hand splayed across his lower abdomen kept him from thrusting upwards when Elion swallowed him without pause. The wet heat of his mouth was too much and not enough all at once and, when Elion glanced up once more, Stavros found himself choking out moans and ready to lay down belly up to give the brat whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it.

It felt like seconds had barely slipped by before Stavros was cupping Elion’s cheek and gently shifting him back. Elion rolled his eyes and batted the hand away with a content sound that made Stavros’ toes curl into the bed. He could feel Elion’s hand searching around them, his lean body shifting slightly before Elion pulled away with a sound that made Stavros’ cheeks darken.

It took him a minute for his mind to connect what Elion was waiting for as he chewed at his bottom lip anxiously, his throat bobbing slightly with every hard swallow. Stavros nodded without much thought and Elion’s kiss swollen bottom lip was released from his teeth.

“Do
you
want this?” Elion asked, his brow slightly furrowed. “I would never force you, Stavros.”

“Like I did you?” Stavros rasped, shame and insecurity flooding the blush on his cheeks.

“Is that what you think you did?” Elion cringed. “I wanted it, you know I did. I just wanted more than that,” he hummed as slick fingers brushed against Stavros teasingly.

“Like what?” Stavros breathed, his hips bucking slightly as a digit slowly entered him.

“Dates. I want to go out and do things. I want movie nights at home with junk food,” Elion ticked off as another finger joined the first in a torturous motion. “I want you to listen to me sometimes. I want to hold you when you’ve had a bad day. I want to kiss that smug look you get right off your face. I want to destroy whoever makes you frown.”

“Demanding,” Stavros moaned, his head tossed back and hips arching in search of more friction. Elion chuckled quietly before he stooped down and kissed Stavros unexpectedly.

“What do you like?” Elion hummed, pausing when Stavros tensed under him.

“I don’t know,” his partner said softly. Elion’s chest tightened and he wanted nothing more than to lock Stavros up until he had managed to collect the head of every single person that had hurt him in any way.

“Whatever you want; whatever you need. This is about you now.” Stavros looked distraught and taken back for a moment before he nodded just once. Elion’s stare pierced Stavros, watching his every breath as he began to press himself in. The bottle of lubrication rolled off the bed and hit the floor with a loud thunk that startled them both.

“That’s going to be fun to clean up,” Stavros breathed shakily and Elion’s eyes lit up with an undiluted laugh.

“I have better things to worry about right now,” Elion replied casually. Stavros smirked at that before wrapping his legs around Elion’s waist and pulling him closer, deeper without warning. Elion clenched his eyes shut, a sharp gasp catching in his throat.

Elion’s eyes flew open when the tips of sharp nails pricked at his hips. Stavros’ head had lolled to the side, his cheek pressed deeply into the pillow and his lashes fluttering with every drawn out thrust. Elion had to pause just to stare, awed, when Stavros moaned just as breathlessly as Elion felt. And when Stavros came with Elion’s name on his lips, Elion knew he was wrecked for life, that there was absolutely no coming back from that moment. Elion followed him over the edge with a loud groan that vibrated to his toes, his vision blanking, and protective arms holding him closer.

“You’re not going to leave again, are you?” Elion asked as his breaths slowed, his throat drying as anxiety kicked in.

“Not without you,” Stavros yawned, and it was a natural, anticlimactic sound, but it instantly became one Elion knew he would always crave. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Stavros asked, arching a brow when Elion grinned up at him.

“You’re adorable.”

“I’m a man,” Stavros drawled.

“Oh, there’s no doubt about that,” Elion wiggled his eyebrows. Stavros threw an arm over his face and groaned.

Stavros lifted his arm a moment later when Elion went silent. Elion’s ear pressed firmly against his chest and Elion’s fingers picked lazily at the sheet crumpled next to them.

“What’s wrong?” Elion stiffened when Stavros tried to force his chin up and Stavros frowned tightly when the first wet drop smacked against his chest. “Elion, what’s wrong?”

“Nothin’,” Elion mumbled.

“You’re crying.”

“So. I’m allowed to do that. I have feelings and emotions. I’m not ashamed of them,” Elion sniffed defensively. Stavros rolled his eyes and did his best not to make a taunting remark. “It’s just sinking in. I really, really liked that mattress.”

Elion huffed a laugh that quickly became a full out cackle when Stavros shoved Elion off of him and onto the mattress.

“You’re a brat,” Stavros said pointedly.

“I love you,” Elion simply stated, brushing his shaggy hair from his face. Stavros froze, his fingers stopped en route to Elion’s cheeks.

“Yea. Yea, I love you too,” Stavros replied quietly. Elion beamed as he lunged forward and locked his arms around Stavros’ neck. Stavros sighed dramatically and buried his grin in Elion’s hair. They sat in silence, minus the occasional shaky gasp as traveling fingers brushed a particularly sensitive area of the other, until the bedroom opened and Elion squealed.

“Mama! What are you doing?” Elion yelled as he pulled the sheets over their heads. “We talked about this!”

“Oh please, I birthed you. You boys should come eat before you start up a ruckus again,” Verya sighed from the doorway. “Those flowers really need to be put in water; and make sure you bring those sheets down to be washed.”

“Oh my Goddess,” Elion choked into his palms. “Please, please get me out of here.”

Stavros made a strangled sound of amusement that quickly turned into a hard laugh that lasted until his eyes watered and his stomach ached. Not even Elion’s intense glare could stop him until he had run dry.

“You’re the one living with your parents,” Stavros pointed out, his cheeks aching from grinning.

“You try finding a decent apartment here!” Elion whined. Stavros’ shoulders slumped and his smile fell into a sobered scowl filled with regret. “Your apartment is big enough for both of us, though.” Elion shrugged shyly.

Stavros’ brows rose and the corners of his lips twitched slightly. “It is.”

“Think we could make it work?” Elion asked sheepishly, his fingertips rubbing Stavros’ palm mindlessly.

Stavros sighed, drawing Elion’s attention up. He studied the elf’s face for a moment, letting his eyes take in the sight that he had missed so much, before he poured every ounce of respect, excitement, thanks and promise he had into a kiss.  Elion moaned softly against his lips as Stavros’ thumb caressed his cheek and swept along his jaw.

He pulled away, forced by the need to breathe, and smirked as a blotchy blush raced up Elion’s neck and darkened the tips of his ear, before placing his palm against Elion’s forehead and pushing him back lightly. “I think we can manage.”

***

The female officer tapped her knuckles against the bars and rolled her eyes at the sight in front of her. Stavros’ arm was shoved through his cell bars as far as it could reach, his fingers tangled with Elion’s on the other side. The two stared at each other, foreheads touching despite the separation the bars forced, and lost in thought and grins, completely unaware of their company.

“We had to put them in separate cells. They wouldn’t stop,” she groaned.

Mikhail arched a brow. “Stop what?”

The officer gave him a look that was caught between a grimace and intrigue. Mikhail closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, all too familiar with their behavior after a few years. He cleared his throat and Elion reluctantly looked over, blinking the dreamy daze from his eyes, still grinning brightly.

“Hi,” he said, voice soft and airy. “You look nice.”

Mikhail arched a brow and folded his arms over his chest. “My first day off in years, Elion. Years. Everyone assured me that
one
day could be managed without me. You both promised to be on your best behavior. So please, explain to me why I was summoned to come bail out my son and his partner, two decorated, ranked detectives on my Force for- what are the charges Officer Teryn?”

“Lewd conduct on a public human beach,” she recited. “Officer Meleani doesn’t wish to press assault charges.”

“Assault charges-“ Mikhail pinched the bridge of his nose. “
Again
?”

“In our defense,” Elion began, untangling his fingers from Stavros’, “the beach wasn’t
in
public view
and
it was nighttime. He only found us because of his werewolfy senses. The assault charges are bogus. I punched him because he was ogling Stavros and made an incredibly degrading statement about his body. It was a defendable action.”

“Oh, that makes everything fine,” Mikhail quipped. “To my knowledge, you were both trailing a suspect, so do tell, why were you conducting lewd acts in public,
which we’ve talked about
, and why in oblivion should I not leave you here?”

Elion shrugged nonchalantly, looking smugger than Mikhail had ever dreamed possible for him. Stavros sighed contently and leaned into the cell bars when Elion stood up to approach Mikhail. “We were celebrating.”

It took Mikhail a moment to comprehend Elion’s hand reaching through the bars in his direction and the ring that sat on his finger, a quick flash of affection filled enchantment glistening proudly. Mikhail swallowed hard, blinking his watery eyes rapidly as he looked up to meet Elion’s swooning gaze.

“Stavros wants to marry
me
,” he said with awed disbelief. “Can you even believe that?
Me.
” Officer Teryn made a soft approving sound that had Elion sniffing and nodding his head in some form of agreement.

“I think,” Mikhail rasped, looking at his son with clear pride, “that we can overlook your behavior…just this once.”

Officer Teryn opened the door quickly before moving to Stavros’ cell door to do the same. Stavros paused to hug his father, tightly and briefly, before he and Elion were tangled in a mess of limbs and frantic kisses against the holding cells.

“Boys,” Mikhail groaned, “while I’m very happy for you, there are more appropriate places for this, though I’d suggest preparing yourselves for the questions the Council is going to have… again.”